Dominion Energy is preparing to launch a significant infrastructure upgrade along a key electrical transmission corridor stretching from Fredericksburg to Possum Point in Prince William County.
The project, known as the Fredericksburg-Possum Point 230 kV Electric Transmission Upgrade and Rebuild, aims to replace aging equipment and bolster grid reliability as regional electricity demand grows. The existing infrastructure has served the area for more than five decades and is reaching the end of its service life.
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In an op-ed published by The FXBG Advance, Mayor Kerry Devine warned that rejecting the TOD could push Fredericksburg to the back of Dominion’s “rapidly expanding project list,” potentially delaying or preventing the city from securing the necessary power for a proposed data center campus.
Seeking clarification, Potomac Local News asked Dominion whether the City Council’s decision would have affected Fredericksburg’s place in the company’s project queue.
“Requests for transmission infrastructure to serve large new customers, like data centers, are evaluated in the order they are received,” responded Aaron Ruby, Dominion’s Director of Virginia & Offshore Wind Media. “I believe that’s what was meant by the project queue.”
Ruby did not elaborate on whether any specific localities had been deprioritized in the past, nor did he provide examples of projects being moved to the back of the line.
Background: City Council Approves Technology Overlay District
On February 25, 2025, Fredericksburg’s City Council unanimously approved the TOD, paving the way for the city’s first data center campus. The project, led by The Silver Companies in partnership with STACK Infrastructure, is expected to include between eight and twelve data centers in Celebrate Virginia South.
Fredericksburg joins nearby Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Caroline counties, with multiple data centers operating within their jurisdictions. Proponents say the TOD positions the city to compete for a lucrative data center industry share.
Supporters: Economic Benefits and Strategic Planning
Supporters of the measure argue that the TOD is an essential step in attracting data center investment, which could generate significant tax revenue for Fredericksburg.
“This could bring up to $60 million annually, funding for schools, infrastructure, and helping to keep property taxes stable,” said Councilman Will Mackintosh.
Others believe the overlay district allows the city to set clear guidelines for data center development, ensuring new projects align with Fredericksburg’s long-term vision.
Opponents: Environmental, Transparency, and Health Concerns
Critics warn that the data centers’ immense energy demands could conflict with Fredericksburg’s goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2035. Environmental activist Alexanna Hengy pointed out that the proposed data center campus could double the city’s energy consumption.
“There are serious concerns about what this will do to our climate goals,” Hengy said.
Some residents also expressed frustration over the speed of the approval process. Former City Council member Matt Kelly criticized what he saw as a lack of transparency, arguing that the city had not provided sufficient details on energy and water agreements before making a final decision.
Additionally, there are concerns about the proposed data centers’ proximity to residential areas. Hengy noted that some facilities would be built within 120 feet of apartment buildings and a nursing home, raising fears about noise pollution and potential health risks for nearby residents.
With the TOD approved, developers must now work with Dominion Energy to assess the site’s power infrastructure. Ruby stated that Dominion will only begin evaluating the project’s energy needs once a data center officially moves forward with development.
“It’s too early to say how much infrastructure would be needed or what the timeframe would be, since that all depends on the size and scope of the development,” Ruby explained.
Thousands of residents in Prince William and Stafford counties are without power as Dominion Energy and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) report widespread outages amid a high wind warning.
As of Sunday evening, Dominion Energy has reported 7,496 outages in Prince William County and 8,363 outages in Stafford County. NOVEC has also reported power disruptions, with 3,322 customers affected in Prince William County and 1,031 in Stafford County.
The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for the region, which will remain effective until 1 a.m. Monday. Forecasters expect sustained west winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts reaching 50 to 60 mph, posing risks of falling trees, downed power lines, and travel disruptions.
Authorities warn that damaging winds could bring down trees and power lines, leading to additional outages. Motorists, especially those operating high-profile vehicles, should exercise caution as travel conditions may be hazardous.
Emergency officials advise residents to stay indoors, secure outdoor objects, and avoid downed power lines. Those experiencing outages should report them to their respective power providers and prepare for potential extended disruptions.
Dominion Energy and NOVEC crews are working to restore power as quickly as possible, but strong winds may delay efforts. Residents must check their utility providers’ outage maps and updates for estimated restoration times.
Once thought to be on its way out, Dominion Energy’s Possum Point Power Station near Dumfries is now expanding operations to meet rising data center power demands, Insidenova.com reports.
The 75-year-old facility currently burns natural gas and diesel fuel, generating around 660 megawatts of energy, which powers about 170,000 homes.
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission released its long awaited report on data centers Monday, detailing the expected soaring energy demands and large economic benefits of the industry ahead of the 2025 General Assembly session.
Amazon Web Services has signed three new agreements to develop nuclear power projects for energizing its massive data centers, including one with Virginia’s Dominion Energy.
The Dominion agreement includes exploring the development of Small Modular Reactors, a kind of nuclear reactor with a smaller physical footprint that allows them to be built closer to the grid, and with faster build and delivery times. The project would be near Dominion’s existing nuclear power facilities at Virginia’s Lake Anna.
Dominion Energy has announced plans for a significant infrastructure upgrade with the Clifton to Winters Branch electric transmission rebuild project. The utility presented details about the project at the Sept. 17, 2024, Manassas Park Governing Body meeting and aims to modernize and enhance the electric grid's reliability in Northern Virginia by replacing existing infrastructure with updated technology and equipment.
New Structures and Upgrades
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A powerful line of thunderstorms swept through Northern Virginia on August 3, 2024, causing significant power outages across Prince William and Stafford counties. The severe weather left many residents in the dark as utility companies scrambled to restore service.
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) Outages
NOVEC reported the highest number of outages in the region, with Prince William County experiencing three major incidents affecting a total of 60 customers. The specific outages are as follows:
Applewood Ln, Chicory Ln, Coffee Pot Hill, Creedmore South Dr, Creedmore West Ct, Double Poplars Ln, Dumfries Rd, Ecoganic Farm Ln, Kelly Meadows Ln, Kines Rd, Magnolia Ln, Marshall Gardens Ct, Old Auburn Rd, Old Dumfries Rd, Pembridge Ln, Rogues Rd, RR 602 & 670, RR 670 & 692, Shulls Ln, Squires Ln, Taylor Rd, Twin Poplar Ln-
Customers Affected: 1
Bobcat Ct, Minnieville Rd
Customers Affected: 33
Hensley Rd, Smithfield Rd
– Customers Affected: 26
Stafford County faced two significant outages affecting a total of 229 customers:
Aquia Rd, Beaver Dam Rd, Beaver Farm Ln, Blackwells Mill Rd, Bowling Farm Ln, Briarwood Ln, Bristersburg Rd, Castlebar Dr, Chimney Lake Ln, Courtney School Rd, Cropp Rd, Deep Run Rd, Delmar Ln, Elk Ridge Rd, Elk Run Church Rd, Enduro Run Rd, Ensors Shop Rd, Geraldine Ct, Gobbler Run Ln, Greentree Ln, Halstead Dr, Hawks Ln, Ireland Dr, Ireland Dr, Izzy Ln, Kenner Ln, Kingdom Dr, Layline Ln, Midland Rd, Poplar Rd, RR 1 Box, RR 617, Seth Dr, Shepherd Hill Ln, Skyline Dr, Soaring Eagle Rd, Spotted Tavern Rd, Stil Water Ln, Still Water Ln, Stillwater Ln, Towles Rd, Whispering Oaks Ln
Customers Affected: 216
Dunbar Dr, Misty Ln
– Customers Affected: 13
Dominion Energy Outages
Dominion Energy reported 132 customers without power in Stafford County. The affected areas are working towards restoration as crews address the damage caused by the storms.
Both NOVEC and Dominion Energy are actively working to restore power to the affected areas. Crews are on-site assessing damage and performing necessary repairs. The cause of the outages remains under investigation, and both utility companies have provided estimated restoration times for affected customers.
Updated 1 p.m. -- All 111 Prince William Estates neighborhood residents who lost power on Monday had it restored by 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 10, 2024.
"Initially, it was called in as two broken poles and two broken cross arms. When our crews arrived, they found the first broken cross-arm and a second before coming across a third broken pole. So three broken poles total," said Dominion Energy spokeswoman Aisha Khan. "Also, there was an untraceable gas line connected to the third broken pole, causing it to be a tough dig for our crews.
